← All 50 obscenities
Lot 3/5 · Historical Antiquities2007
#3 Most Expensive
The ItemMagna Carta (1297 copy)

One of the founding documents of modern law is privately owned by a single American businessman.

$21,300,000

The Item

Originally sealed by King John in 1215, the Magna Carta established principles that underpin modern constitutional law.

This particular 1297 reissued copy is one of very few originals confirmed to exist outside institutional collections.

Why It's Obscene

Rubenstein bought it at Sotheby's in 2007 for $21.3 million and has kept it on long-term public loan at the National Archives ever since.

A rare case on this list where extreme wealth quietly funds public access instead of locking history away.

Magna Carta (1297 copy)Verified · Public record
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